Wichita eagle., 1887-04-24
9ai19R eagle
WAR ON THE RHINE.
AVETERAN'S VIEW OF THE FRENCH
AND GERMAN ARMIES.

Favor of Germany Will Aid France
| Should Eostilitics Break Out-Hatred
of Bismarck.
The writer passed some time in the French
and German camps On the eve of the Franco
Prussan war. The popular feeling then was
a good indication of what was to occur at the
first provocation. Germany arose as one
man; it arose for an idea, and France went
as far as personal enthusiasm for q romantic
figure could carry it and broke down when
the imperial u.,pet was removed. There is
an interesting field for study in the two
nations today as they stand logically pitted
against each other by reason of clashins ira
ditions and opposing principles of govern
ment. There seems to be, however, a COM
plete reversal Of circumstances; and much
that favored Germany IN 1870 is not with
Germany to-day, but is with France; and
much that weakened France under the second
empire is not with France to-day, but is with
the rival empire across the Rhine.
Prussia has become the empire and the Old
opposition cry of 1866 against Bismarck
one man power!-has come to full realiza-
ton. The states have had union, q national
sentiment and a national policy, and what do
they think OF them? The discomfort OF the
people has not subsided; poverty has in
increased; emigration has gone on at q won
derfu rate. The people turned away from
loyalty TO princes and nobility. the old tie
that bound land and people and government,
md their golden traditions are gone. Great
estates have absorbed tho land and the young
have no home feeling and no incentive to
love the native soil. There are many indica-
lions upon the surface to show a state Of
things far different to that Of $50. Expert
ence has taught them that they have ex-
changed such liberties rs their lazy and
frivolous kinglets allowed them for a mental
service to mighty and all absorbing power
that grinds on remOrselessly, a power only
great in Itself and reducing all outside to
GtuenesS more beggarly than before.
The Germans have stood for independence,
progress in thought and the amelioration
of man. But it is not many years since
Bismarck sounded a warning note of
another kind 1t was not aimed at q
foreign foe, but an internal one, namely:
sensualism. He said that dissipation was
sapping the manliness of the nation. All
of that mighty force of human energy called
up by the political asitations of Bismarcks
lofty endeavor to petty indulgence and base
qualifications. The beer and music gardens
conquered the all conquering Germans and
their warmest friends have mourned over it.
In another direction the energies Of that
powerful people were turned into fields Of
scientific discovery and Virchow and Buch-
ner, not to mention Darwin and other out
siders, led the excited minds into all the daz-
cling mysteries Of organic creation and de-
velopLnent, and the destructive school Of Bible
critics at Stuttgart, with Bauer ut the head,
paved the way for widespread materialism
that has borne fruit i'll this age.
But in France all is national, all is fixed
upon one idea, ultimately, and that idea de-
stroys the possibility of any alarming spirit
Of neutrality or Indifference. Legitimist,
imperialist, republican or socialist, believe in
France, and once France is exalted the fac
lions can settle somehow which shall rule.
This national ambition is not one OF conquest,
but looks only to the Rhenish border, to Al
SAGE and the old provinces where Germany
stands in tho way. The name Of German
brings up n spectre that all Frenchnen 10y
ally hate.
Now the man of France who nurses this
hatred of Germany is tho citizen, the free and
independent bourgeois He is III tho army and
he stands today in the same relation to the
struggle for nationality that his German
counter part did III 1870 toward the unifica-
ton Of Germany. The regular army Of Ger
many is body Of conscripts, and made up Of
peasants VINO cannot cvade Che rigorous
draft. This peasant conscrpt lives in the
barraclz and has all the traditions of imperial
service to hold hira to his work. He was a
mental out of the army, and his pickel-haube
-
auence. Beyond what this b0orish Ell
thusiasm for Il strong crown amounts to,
Bismarck cannot hope for popular support
outside of Prussia The burgher or citizen
element in the standing army is independent
1t is voluntary in a sense, is self-sustaining,
lives outside the barracks, and looks upon the
service as an evil and a burden to be avoided
When this element comes to be summoned ia
the Landwehr for field duty, the crown must
show good reason for its action or the Land
weir viii not stand TO its work The brunt |
of battle in a new conflict with France Will
doubtless fall upon the ignorant peasantry of |
Germany, who can be held TO their posts and |
will have sort of brute enthusiasm, good SO |
long as kept in motion But Bismarck never |
yet won fight with such material. In 1906 |
the Prussian schoolmaster whipped the Aus |
TRAN boor at Sadowa- That was the boast !
of the time. In 1870 the schoonaster and |
his enthusiastic young ally from the burgher |
class struck together for the unification of |
Germany at Sedan. Both then made way |
under the empire for huge standing army of |
the most illiterate orders who could not !
escape by emigration, or get exemption |
through privileges open to the bnrgher class, |
and SO the man III pickel-haube to-day is a
peasant. His French antagonist viii be q
citizen whose heart is in his work, and whose
nation is his God.-George l.. Kiimer in New
York Mail and Express.